My Town Tutors is a great resource for parents & teachers. Find qualified tutors in your area today!

December Guest Blogs / Top Guest Blogs / December Jokes Top Pages

Joint Entrance Exam Main or JEE Main is the preliminary exam for admission to the undergraduate programs in various engineering institutes of India. It’s also the gateway to JEE Advanced exam that finally provides admission in Top IITs and NITs of the country. Acting like a door to various engineering institutes, JEE receives a vast number of applicants each year. Many of these students are clueless about where to begin and how to proceed. This article is an excellent reference material for such aspirants.

Besides preparing for the exam, students must also be aware about the general know-hows of the exam like the eligibility criteria and documents required etc. Big changes have taken place due to the pandemic situation in the country. This article first introduces the aspirants to the most crucial changes that have taken place, moving onto the eligibility criteria and a little about the exam pattern and finally describing the proven strategies for the exam that are surely godsent for JEE aspirants.

The JEE Main exam was conducted in two sessions around the year- January and April in normal situations. However, since 2019, JEE Mains has been conducted in four phases- February, March, April and May.

JEE Main Eligibility

The conducting body for JEE Exam- National testing Agency(NTA) has made quite a few changes to the eligibility criteria for the test. Knowing about it is crucial.

1.      Age of the candidate- The candidate must have passed a 10+2 or equivalent exam. There is no upper age bar for this exam. Additionally, candidates currently appearing for their 10+2 exam are also eligible for the same, irrespective of their age.

2.      Academic Qualifications- Since the exam provides admission into B. Tech and B. Arch courses, there are certain academic requirements or subjects that every applicant must have covered in their 10+2.

For B. Tech/B.E, these subjects include Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biotechnology/Biology/ Technical/vocational Subject/Language/Any other subject

For B. Arch/ B. Plan, the criteria are the same as above.

3.      Qualifying Marks- For the General category, the qualifying marks is 75% in aggregate (min) or the student must be in the top 20 percentile in their 10+2 exam. For ST/SC/PWD category, the qualifying score is lowered to 65% in aggregate.

Note that all the eligibility criteria mentioned above are valid for first-timers as well as droppers.

Number of Attempts and Mandatory Documents

Aspirants can have a maximum of 3 attempts to clear the JEE Main exam. Note that these will be 3 Consecutive times, barring which they are no longer qualified to sit for the exam. Also, as the exam is held in two sessions now, the admission process over one specific academic session is registered as a single attempt.

Aadhaar Card has become the absolutely mandatory document to sit for JEE Main examination. Foreign applicants should have their passports. Few states like Assam, Meghalaya and J&K residents need to provide additional details like their bank account number, passport number and Ration card or any other government ID number.

Proven Strategies for JEE Main

Moving onto the scope of this article, there are certain proven tips and tricks that every JEE aspirant needs to know, understand and implement to ensure they crack their JEE Main exam with flying colours.

1.      Be well-versed with the entire syllabus- The first stepping stone to the JEE Main exam preparation is knowing the syllabus like the back of the hand. The aspirants must have a complete and thorough knowledge of the subject topics, sub-topics, important chapters, their weightage and difficulty levels. They should also understand their grey areas or the subjects they struggle with and must prepare accordingly. This is very crucial for the development of a study plan.

2.      Draft a well-laid plan- Orchestrating the perfect schedule for preparation is the ideal way to start. Prepare a proper timetable that utilises the entire day efficiently, while focusing on all the weak areas and adjusting the time allotted to them. A proper schedule also ensures that the student also has enough time for additional activities, hobbies and sports. Ensure that you dedicate a fixed number of hours to each subject and set a target to achieve the same. For instance, if Physics has been allocated 4 hours, then in no circumstances should it be shrunken to 3.5 or 3 hours. Sticking to the schedule will help the aspirants to give equal attention to all the subjects and every subject has equal weightage.

3.      Eradicate Distractions- During the preparation for JEE Main exam, the aspirant must stay at bay from all the distractions like mobile phones, laptops, computer games and PSPs, that can distract the student and waste their valuable time. They need to remember that utmost concentration, dedication and hardwork are the key to success, without which scoring good marks is not possible. Keeping contacts with friends and family to a minimal, not letting them get in the way of drafted schedule is crucial.

4.      Understand Concepts at the Grass-root level- Before diving into the complex topics and advanced theories, the students must aim to understand the concepts at the zero level. This will consolidate their base in the subject and help them to grasp the complex topics with ease. Basic concepts are the backbone of numerical based questions. Getting a hold on concepts helps to glide through tough numerical problems with ease. Make short notes along the way, focusing on important topics and concepts for quick revision.

5.      Practise and Revisions- Practice and Revisions are as important as the actual study. Practising as many problems as possible ensures that the student covers a wide range of problems and questions that not only acts as a major confidence booster but also enhance their speed and accuracy. Regular revision ensures maximum retention of the concepts and gives clarity. It is important to retain everything studied as the syllabus is huge and time is crucial.

6.      Choose the right study material- The right study material is as important as the right tool. The best study material for JEE Main exam is the NCERT books specifically the NCERT Exemplar. They are like The Bible for every JEE aspirant. They explain the concepts from zero level and help build a strong foundation. In addition to it, go for standard books that are specifically designed for JEE Main exam as they will have questions similar to those set for the actual exam. Nowadays, there are various apps and sites that provide excellent study materials for JEE, for free or at a nominal price.

7.      Give Mocks and Solve PYQs- Giving mock exams prepares the aspirants for the actual exam. Simulate the actual test environment by sitting in a quiet corner and time yourself. This will help the student to assess their speed and progress and work upon it. Questions are advanced and time is limited. This makes it very important to recognize the areas that need to be worked on and this is possible only if the student attempts various mock exams. Solving previous year papers helps to understand the paper pattern and difficulty level of the questions so that aspirants can prepare accordingly.

8.      Eat Right and Sleep Right- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important during preparation. Drink enough water, eat healthy food and maintain a proper sleep schedule. This is important for good mental health and healthy functioning of the body that instils positivity and confidence.